Mass Merchant

Bentonville Ark. - Sam’s Club will open a new Kansas City, Missouri store on June 26. Measuring approximately 136,000-sq.-ft., the new store will feature a variety of members-only amenities, including a fresh bakery, a tire and battery center, a café and a fuel station.

To staff the new Kansas City store, Sam’s Club has hired more than 180 new associates.
 

Target is giving customers added incentive to shop online by offering free shipping for all orders of $50 or more.

The new policy, which takes effect immediately, excludes oversize and heavy items, which will be subject to a handling fee.

New York -- Dov Charney, the ousted chairman and CEO of American Apparel Inc., is fighting back against his dismissal.

Mark Phillips was elevated to the role of VP of pharmaceutical merchandising at Walmart after previously serving as the retailer’s senior director of merchandising for small formats.

Mississauga, Ontario -- Walmart Canada has appointed an executive from Delhaize Group, Dirk Van den Berghe, as president and CEO, effective Aug. 1.

Van den Berghe, who has 30 years of international business experience, most recently served as CEO of Delhaize’s Belgium and Luxembourg operations. His appointment at Walmart was seen as a way for the discounter to strengthen its grocery business in Canada.

Just two weeks after Family Dollar adopted a “poison pill” shareholder’s rights plan, billionaire investor Carl Icahn, who recently disclosed he has a 9.4% stake in the discount retailer, has fired back.

In an open letter to Family Dollar chairman Howard Levine, Icahn demanded that the company be put up for sale immediately. Icahn also said in the letter that he wants three of his representatives added to the Family Dollar board immediately and will take his proposal for a sale directly to shareholders if management doesn’t support it.

Walmart continues to press on the mobile phone front with an exclusive deal with Virgin Mobile. As of Saturday, June 21, Virgin Mobile’s payLo will offer customers domestic unlimited voice or unlimited texting for $20 per month.

For budget-conscious consumers who don’t need a smartphone, payLo offers affordable devices and value-driven monthly plans. Customers who purchase a Kyocera Kona or Samsung Montage in participating Walmart stores or at Walmart.com can choose between two exclusive $20-per-month offers:

Wayne, N.J. – Toys “R” Us, Inc. announced that it has named Michael J. Short executive CFO, effective June 23.
 
Short, 53, a seasoned finance executive with broad retail and corporate development experience, was most recently executive VP and CFO of AutoNation for seven years.